This would be the worst DZ in the world perhaps? (eg no landing patterns - just be yourself and cut up or take out whoever you like, no worries about low jump number people flying canopies they can't handle, people who perhaps are on big formations but can't track, no worries about exit separation etc etc)

Any DZ that has no rules is not one I want to jump at. So I am looking forward to the responses so I know where to avoid.

not nice ? well it is ALL fact. welcome to these forums. you register this morning, ask a most provoking question and then include some silly comments, two of which i couldn't even understand.

you start with your "wants" ...hahaha that made me laugh !!

It's better to think about 'needs' when you consider skydiving,,,,,like knowledgeable staff, Safe planes, good gear and instruction, and many other important needs which you don't yet seem to realize..... EVEN exist.

No Rules might work in some things,, but usually not.... for Dropzones.. You may never SEE the rules,, and you May think are ARE none..... at a dozen or more dropzones,, here and there.... But you'd only be showing a degree of inexperience to think that such an approach is Ever a working game plan..

I came here in hope of a legitimate discussion about what OTHER forum members might have to say about "the best dz in the World "... ..... So i'll check back later. My travels are limited and certainly NOT world wide...but i always enjoy learning about ANYthing related to jumping.....

There already ARE Great and BESt DZs allll over. Few if any have a Hot Air Balloon ON the flight line (maybe Eloy) and so usually make Those arrangements with a local expert in the field, for occasional and special "Balloon Jump" events and boogies. Sorry about your stilleto, It may be better NOT to leave it laying in a heap, unpacked and near enough to the Cat... i could see where they would WANT to get well involved in Playing with it.....much like YOU are playing with us,, here today regarding this current thread !!!!

- No rules, you u can be yourself - People are Kind - Procees are acceptable - Own opinin explain though... - ( ballon is a BIG plus )

In reply to:

* * * Old Guy Rant * * *

The dropzone I started at had 'No Rules' & the people were great!

As long as you were respectful of others they left you alone to make your own decisions...however if 'being yourself' meant being an asshole, you were shown the door real quick.

Heck I held the pilot's beer for him during take-off on my 1st jump!

There were no pull altitudes, we jumped in all kinds of weather with all kinds of gear.

I did my first demo into a stadium, on a round parachute wearing M-18 smokes...with 22 jumps in my logbook.

Nobody charged another jumper $ for mentoring, and proficiency in every discipline was strongly encouraged.

It was an adult playground for hardcore dedicated skydiving enthusiasts. . .

The only fatality ever was a guy traveling through wanting to make a hop 'n pop. He functioned the main & cutaway. The reserve pilot chute got caught on the left-side open Capewell and he became one with the planet. It was a good spot though, he only missed the peas by 20 feet!

It was a wonderful place to get a foothold in the sport... especially for a young guy like me at the time. I was 18 when I started jumping there and learned one of the most important life lessons there is ~

With freedom comes responsibility.

However... once the sport went mainstream the types of people becoming involved proved without any doubt that they couldn't be trusted with the responsibility of taking care of themselves.

Too busy to pack, too stupid to spot, too lazy to learn the basics - the 'take care of yourself' skydiving environment was turned into a welfare state.

...so the freedom of 'No Rules' is gone - forever.

These days at a lotta places you have to prove you have batteries in your reserve before they will even let you sign a 20 page release of liability waiver.

Now there are enough 'Basic Safety Regulations' to choke Linda Lovelace...think about that, how dumb do you have to be to need your basicsafety 'regulated'?

Safety 'recommendations' are written down so that some modicum of credibility for the people offering advise that might save your life can be referenced and cited.

Skydiving is no longer an 'extreme sport' allowing for individuality & self reliance. - It's a hobby that any meat-bomb with a pulse & a credit card meets the criteria for...

Those that hang beyond 'tourist' status are few & far between, they're today's hardcore enthusiasts and are to be applauded.

They are sticking with it 'even though' the bullshit they have to endure gets thicker every year!

I came here in hope of a legitimate discussion about what OTHER forum members might have to say about "the best dz in the World "... ..... So i'll check back later. My travels are limited and certainly NOT world wide...but i always enjoy learning about ANYthing related to jumping.....

In reply to:

Well Jimmy...

As you know, nearly ALL drop zones have something about them that makes them 'special'.

Sometimes it's the people, sometimes the view...some have cool aircraft.

I travel quite a bit and always try to at least stop by any DZ's that may be close to where ever I find myself...sometimes to jump, sometimes just to suck in the vibe.

We had a week in Norway a few years back & decided to drive from one side to the other.

Stopped in a little town called Voss for lunch, nice cafe overlooking a lake. On the other side of the water I see canopies descending!

Ten minutes later I'm looking at the pics on the wall of a nice little DZ...slow day as it was drizzling now & then. I was told if interested, I could probably do a tandem the next day - weather permitting.

Told 'em I was experienced, just passing through & hadn't planned on jumping. No rig, no log, no license...just saw canopies and HAD to stop.

Had a pleasant conversation with a couple jumpers who spoke 'Merican, they translated for those who didn't.

20 minutes later I'm throwing on a rig and climbing into a 182 - we're doin' a demo into the park in town!

Wouldn't let me pay for the jump, the rig or ANY of the WAY too many beers!

GREAT bunch of Skydivers!

REALLY cool pilot, he was practicing aerobatics in his Pitts between loads!

My better half used to be amazed at how any DZ in the world we'd stop at, we had instant friends...now she's use to it.

~ Similar thing happened in France last year.

I'd been driving 10 hrs. coming from Italy and needed a break. Capt. Mom with map in hand has me turning left then right then another right...oh look, a DROPZONE!

Same thing - Small club with GREAT peeps!

Wife is fluent in French, dunno what she told 'em but I was offered a rig and a slot in a 5 way!!

I graciously declined, way to tired to even count the links in THAT chain of disaster, so the DZO makes an 'exception'...drags out the cooler and those done jumping for the day proceed to get us nicely toasted.

The stories went on for hours. I handed out a dozen or so 'Liberty Parachute Team' pins & patches, the 50 pull-ups I always carry & both Spaceland Tee-shirts I had.

Unique & memorable gifts were returned in kind, along with a 'DZ Family Style' dinner and a place to stay...without question one of the BEST drop-zones in the World - that I never jumped at!

This is At the moment and the big race for the absolute BEST akydive in the world :)(:

1. Voss sounds to be very chill 2. France (dunni where there) ANd I only know one or two dudes over there. People are kind when you get along with them. I think... 3. Seattle (?) Been there once... too young so I had no idea at all how stuck I would get to the 'sport'. Im so compeditiv whohohoo... Thatäs why I never compete or participate in any sport at all... I take my own race and Im buying a Saab! :D

Going on a vacation now after a couple of sign-ups, so time is very important!! As always... Stress until you just start to sweat... phuff....

Looking forward to visiting these places and having the best vacation ever. Because I luv to jump. It gives me joy...

- No rules, you u can be yourself - People are Kind - Procees are acceptable - Own opinin explain though... - ( ballon is a BIG plus )

In reply to:

* * * Old Guy Rant * * *

The dropzone I started at had 'No Rules' & the people were great!

As long as you were respectful of others they left you alone to make your own decisions...however if 'being yourself' meant being an asshole, you were shown the door real quick.

Heck I held the pilot's beer for him during take-off on my 1st jump!

There were no pull altitudes, we jumped in all kinds of weather with all kinds of gear.

I did my first demo into a stadium, on a round parachute wearing M-18 smokes...with 22 jumps in my logbook.

Nobody charged another jumper $ for mentoring, and proficiency in every discipline was strongly encouraged.

It was an adult playground for hardcore dedicated skydiving enthusiasts. . .

The only fatality ever was a guy traveling through wanting to make a hop 'n pop. He functioned the main & cutaway. The reserve pilot chute got caught on the left-side open Capewell and he became one with the planet. It was a good spot though, he only missed the peas by 20 feet!

It was a wonderful place to get a foothold in the sport... especially for a young guy like me at the time. I was 18 when I started jumping there and learned one of the most important life lessons there is ~

With freedom comes responsibility.

However... once the sport went mainstream the types of people becoming involved proved without any doubt that they couldn't be trusted with the responsibility of taking care of themselves.

Too busy to pack, too stupid to spot, too lazy to learn the basics - the 'take care of yourself' skydiving environment was turned into a welfare state.

...so the freedom of 'No Rules' is gone - forever.

These days at a lotta places you have to prove you have batteries in your reserve before they will even let you sign a 20 page release of liability waiver.

Now there are enough 'Basic Safety Regulations' to choke Linda Lovelace...think about that, how dumb do you have to be to need your basicsafety 'regulated'?

Safety 'recommendations' are written down so that some modicum of credibility for the people offering advise that might save your life can be referenced and cited.

Skydiving is no longer an 'extreme sport' allowing for individuality & self reliance. - It's a hobby that any meat-bomb with a pulse & a credit card meets the criteria for...

Those that hang beyond 'tourist' status are few & far between, they're today's hardcore enthusiasts and are to be applauded.

They are sticking with it 'even though' the bullshit they have to endure gets thicker every year!

The Seattle reference was an "inside joke" that came up as a result of the thread I've linked below - because the person in this post has a Seattle-area DZ as his home DZ, people believed that it must be a "no rules" environment (even though all of the swoops shown in the videos took place at other DZs). http://www.dropzone.com/...rum.cgi?post=4430218

Having jumped at both Seattle-area DZs, I suspect you'll find they're far from the "no rules" zones that you're looking for. As with most DZs, some people may get away with some stupid things, but both DZs do have their rules.